easyJet axed Newcastle Airport staff unfairly
23.02.11
easyJet unfairly axed cabin crew, a tribunal ruled. The Chronicle reports that the careers of 10 senior staff based at Newcastle Airport were grounded in December 2009 when the budget airline put them on gardening leave because of alleged unruly behaviour by some during a redundancy consultation process. They had been selected from a pool of 46 seniors because of low scorings from a matrix using inaccurate information, and the group insisted that they had been unfairly dismissed. These claims have been vindicated after employment an tribunal ruled ‘they were unfairly selected’.
During the tribunal it emerged the ‘easyJet 10’ were earmarked for redundancy because of high scores they were given by a matrix measuring lateness, safety knowledge, not showing up for work and disciplinary records. But throughout the process and their dismissal the group said the matrix used inaccurate information. And although the criteria for the redundancy matrix had been agreed with union Unite, easyJet management scored lateness despite knowing the system was faulty.
A remedy hearing – when it will be decided what damages could be awarded – will take place on April 18.
